Use dialogue to resolve disputes - Ayawine

The acting Deputy General Secretary (Operations) of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Mr Morgan Ayawine, has called on managements and employees to resort to dialogue in resolving disputes and grievances between them.

He stressed the need for the two stakeholders to feel free to open the channels of communication for deeper collaboration, consultation and understanding on any challenge that might confront them.

Mr Ayawine made the call at the annual Workers Durbar and Awards Day of the Twifo Oil Palm Plantations Limited (TOPP) at Twifo Praso on Wednesday, during which hardworking and long serving employees were rewarded.

He said since capital without labour was unproductive, it stood to reason that the two were equal partners in industry and must be recognised as such to promote unity and harmony at the workplace.

Mr Ayawine expressed the belief that the involvement of employees in decision making would ensure industrial democracy and create a sense of belongingness, pointing out that “with that feeling, employees will go the extra mile to work as though they were the owners of the business or company”.

He said the concept of industrial democracy sought to give employees an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process of organisations.

“It is based on this that modern organisations now accept the nomination and inclusion of workers’ representatives on boards of directors,” he added.

Mr Ayawine said the fact that the management of TOPP had instituted an awards day to reward its employees year after year indicated an appreciation and recognition of its hardworking employees whose contributions to the growth of the company could not be overemphasised.

In his address, the General Manager of TOPP, Mr Emmanuel Y. Ahiable, said the company’s financial performance for 2011 was influenced to a large extent by the relatively high world market prices of crude palm oil, which was 36 per cent above last year’s average price of $839 per tonne.

Consequently, he said, the company’s profit after tax improved from GH¢3.5 million to GH¢12.6 million.

The Chairman of the TOPP Local Union of the ICU, Mr Francis Goka, congratulated the entire workforce on their hard work and dedication.